Our apprenticeship success story

We can report that the much-talked about National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) is working. A year ago, My Nametags’s founder, Lars, found Billy through the scheme and now he’s joined the company on a permanent contract.

“When we employed Billy as an apprentice he hadn’t much work experience at all but one year later he was practically running the office on his own over the Christmas period!” says Lars.

Billy was unemployed after leaving school and found it “dull and depressing” but getting an apprenticeship has boosted his confidence and given him real transferable skills. “I’ve done various courses including learning the basics of Photoshop and graphic design and I’d now like to study more,” says Billy.

New data from NAS confirms that apprenticeships are increasingly popular. There were over 1.1 million applications submitted online last year with ‘Business and Administration’ topping the charts for applications and vacancies in 2012.

Whether you’re a parent of a child at secondary school wondering about first steps into the world of work or an employer, we thought you might be interested to learn more about the scheme.

• An apprenticeship is a paid job working alongside experienced staff to gain job-specific skills
• To apply you must live in England, be aged over 16, not in full time education
• Training takes place both on and off the job, usually on a day-release basis
• Apprenticeships take between 1-4 years to complete and there are three levels; basic, intermediate and higher
• Over 100,000 employers offer apprenticeships and there are 1,400 job roles in a wide range of industries from engineering and accounting to veterinary nursing
• For More information visit http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk

To order My Nametags visit www.mynametags.com or give us a call on our freephone number 0800 3 213 203 – you never know you might get Billy!

Meet our new apprentice

With the economic climate less than rosy it is increasingly difficult for young people to get work. My Nametags’s founder, Lars, feels strongly that it’s very important to give young people opportunities. “I’m sure everyone remembers that ‘chance’ they were given, perhaps by their first employer, and I was keen to do that at My Nametags through an apprenticeship scheme.”

Whether you’re a parent of a child at secondary school wondering about first steps into the world of work or an employer, we thought you might be interested to hear Billy’s take on it all.

MNTs: How did you become an apprentice?

Billy: I went through www.apprenticships.org.uk where you can apply for a maximum of 10 positions a day. I’m studying for a one-year NVQ in Customer Service.

MNTs: Was it difficult to get?

Billy: It wasn’t difficult to get an interview but make sure you prepare well. Get anyone ie your Mum, Dad, Uncle to give you some interview practice. You can always walk into Connexions (www.connexionslive.com) – the Job Centre part for young people – and they will give you advice and a practice interview.

MNTs: What does your typical day involve?

Billy: I process the orders over the internet and take them over the phone too. I also produce the black and white labels and sort out the post at the end of the day.

MNTs: What advice would you give to other school leavers?

Billy: If continuing on at school isn’t for you then there are other options. I found it really dull and depressing being unemployed after I left school. Getting an apprenticeship has given me the skills for work and so much more confidence. Oh, and money too!

MNTs: What’s next?

Billy: I feel so much more confident now about working in an office. I may even explore the possibility of going to University now that I’ve got some work experience.

To order My Nametags visit www.mynametags.com or give us a call on our freephone number 0800 3 213 203 – you never know you might get Billy!

My Nametags is looking for a marketing executive

My Nametags is expanding, and we are now looking for a full-time permanent International Marketing Executive.

You can see the full profile on our My Nametags jobs page on the website. If you are interested, please let us know. If you know anyone who might be interested, please let them know. And feel free to mention this on your blogs etc. Thanks!